In 2011, The Stewpot/Community Ministries of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas purchased 508 Park Avenue and the adjoining properties on either side. Originally constructed as a film distribution center for a predecessor of Warner Brothers, 508 Park has received national and international attention because of its unique history as one of only two locations where the legendary blues musician Robert Johnson recorded. Eric Clapton later recorded there in homage to Johnson. As a rare Dallas example of Zigzag Moderne, 508 Park also has great architectural significance – it was designed by the New Orleans firm that designed the Louisiana State Capitol.
First Presbyterian Church plans to restore and revitalize 508 Park Avenue into active, habitable space. Proposed program elements in the restored building include a museum of street culture, classrooms, offices for church programs and community partners, painting & ceramics studios and gallery, a recording studio, and a multi-use event space with roof terrace. GFF completed the stabilization and rehabilitation of the building exterior, focused primarily on structural stabilization, window restoration, building envelope, and roof replacement, along with infrastructure utilities; the interior rehabilitation will be completed as a later phase. GFF designed a new outdoor amphitheater on the site to the north of 508 to provide a new downtown performance venue, and a new community garden on the site to the south, operated by patrons of the Stewpot.
